Withered
by Tronic
Summary: Flowers exist for even someone like him. SasuHina
1. Bud

_Possibly AU, this takes place some time after the Chuunin exams and before Sasuke ditches Konoha. I only submitted it early because I wanted to (force) my friend to read it. (I'm talkin 'bout you, Sporky.)_

_Disclaimer: I'm not Masashi Kishimoto. I'm not even the same Gender or race as him- so, obviously I don't own Naruto._

**Withered**

**Chapter One: Bud**

* * *

The Yamanaka's family business was always quiet and slow, but it wasn't as if they needed the money. Enough people would venture there every once in a while to keep the place running. From a pink haired girl in the midst of lust or a smiling husband who wished his wife to get well soon, a pallet of different people were brave enough to show their faces there.

Including unexpected arrivals such as a frowning Asuma that surprised even the blond Yamanaka girl. The event made her curious as to what types of flowers Kurenai-sensei liked- and she laughed at the thought that Asuma probably didn't even know.

Ino did, however, become fairly bored in her time there. Tending the shop alone became lonesome, even with the rainbow of flowers crawling at her fingertips. She had been missing missions lately, losing physical form in terms of a Shinobi body, and just plainly growing depressed as every day went by. If she was going to spend her life bored in the shop, then damn it, someone was going to have to suffer with her!

That was when a lightbulb went off inside her head and she realized the only way to make this possible was to hire someone who could be easily pushed into doing something so crazy for someone so demanding.

Plus, it'd be fun. Like having a side-kick; one better than Sakura since this Hyuuga girl had no interest in the boy-toy that was Uchiha Sasuke-kun.

"Uhm, Ino-san.. how do I.."

Hinata had absolutely no idea how she got sucked into this. Maybe it was boredom, maybe it was insecurity, maybe it was how she felt rejected by Naruto-kun and Ino just happened to prance up with a cheery face that day acting as if she needed her. Whatever the case, it was a burden now but one she felt she wouldn't have to bare much longer. Maybe, if she was lucky, she'd be sent off on a mission with Kiba and Shino soon.

"Use the key."

Ino was assisting Hinata, and trying her hardest to teach her the very basics of working the register. Hinata was nervous, though. She'd never had a job before and learning all these new things was confusing.

Hinata sighed and handed the costumer their change with a forced smile. The old man who was purchasing lilys, his frown softened slightly at the way Hinata was so polite. He looked as if he'd just lost something or someone important... Hinata felt immediately saddened by this, but tried her best to push it out of her mind as she watched him hobble out of the shop.

She went back to arranging flowers and trying to remember how to do such a thing. She remembered being taught this in a field trip at the academy but it was all so long ago.

A pink apron with yellow polkadots was tied around her waist, with a double-knotted bow in the back. Probably because she was so incredibly tiny, the string would drag on the floor if Ino hadn't suggested tying in that way.

Her soft hands clasped a purple watering pail and it tipped involuntarily; tiny droplets of water showering roses, daffodils, camellia flowers and other types of flora. Hinata wondered how Ino- or rather, whoever ran this shop was able to obtain so many different plants...

The thought exiting her mind, the Hyuuga girl smiled when sweet smells and soft petals rubbed against her bare arm. They reminded her of how it wasn't all that bad working there. The atmosphere was very pleasant and it helped that the season just happened to be Spring. Buds were sprouting by the millions at this time of year, especially all around the village and now every time Hinata would see or smell a flower, she'd think of the shop.

It was quiet, though. Very quiet. As if Father Time had jammed a rock in between the hands of the universe and not even the silent ticking of the clock could be heard anymore. Ino had just left and didn't say when or if she'd be back, and that made butterflies knock into Hinata's stomach and latch onto her vocal cords whenever she had to speak to a customer. She wasn't exactly educated in botany; not like Ino was.

Hinata sighed and decided it was best just to push through it. If she can survive being beaten to a bloody pulp by her cousin, then she can survive managing the shop for a few hours, right?

She placed the empty pail aloft on a high, wooden shelf, standing to her tip-toes as she did. Her heels found the floor again and she paused to take another glance at the shop before returning to rearranging roses, bravely.

She was frightened by these little, wet, red things. There was a reason they were red, after all. She gulped- red was the color of blood and if you touched them you might bleed. The thorns looked like tiny jagged spikes and before she knew it, her fingers had wandered too far and were met with painful pricks. She let out a quiet, surprised "Ow.." her brows curving at their most sensitive points when she realized there was a tiny drop of blood growing on the cut.

Before she had time to react any further, the bell to the shop chimed loudly and startled her. She wheeled her head in the door's direction, the reflection of a boy with raven hair rippled in her thin, white eyes.

He was frowning.

"Ah.. welcome!" Hinata bowed, a smile sewn into her lips that wouldn't have normally been there, but she found it was much better to smile at customers no matter how grumpy or sad they were.

Sasuke grunted. More of a melancholic 'I-don't-feel-like-talking' fashion than an angry 'whatever-you're-annoying'. His blue, Konoha-style sandals swept over the slightly moist floor and his hands were thrown into the pockets of his shorts faster than you could say "Oiroke no jutsu."

Hinata's fake smile was washed away and her eyes found the floor again. She decided it would be best to leave the boy alone, and was about to go back to tending the roses.

_Roses!_ She remembered her finger. Her eyes were suddenly glued to her palm that had a few very tiny splotches of blood on it. She hadn't realized the wound was that big...

"Hey."

A voice touched her ears and startled her. Her heart thumped in her throat and her eyes met dark, onyx pools that eerily resembled a charcoal mine.

"Oh, s-sorry.. c-can I help you?" She was faced with a menacing sight. The terrifying image of the renowned Uchiha boy who was holding a dark blue carnation as if it were really nothing.

Sasuke held the flower up to her, causing heat to fly up into her cheeks and she wondered if her skin was peeling off at the sudden warmth. Sasuke's expression softened at her, but not because of anything to do with her in general. His face was so sore from frowning he just had to let it go for a second.

"What's that?" He pointed to her palm with the hand that was clasping the flower, as nonchalant as possible. _I don't care, I'm just curious._

"H-huh?" Hinata fidgeted and lifted up her palm. Her eyes fixated on it, blinking shakily at the sight of growing, crimson sludge. Why did she keep forgetting about it! "I-I.." _gulp_ "pr-pricked myself."

Sasuke just shrugged it off with a very soft blink and slid a few tarnished coins to the counter.

Fretting fingers were held over her thin apron for a short moment. Hinata winched, and wondered why he'd even be buying a flower. He was that jerk, right? That guy who always snubbed his legions of fangirls off and whined about revenge like an emo crybaby. Why would he be buying a flower? She had to double-take. It was almost like being thrown into an alternate dimension.

Sasuke found the strength to dig up an annoyed expression and tossed it at Hinata. Trembling like willow-tree leaves, the white-eyed girl tried to avoid his frightening, piercing stare. It seemed to bark "Are you gonna do your job or what?"

_Ah! I forgot how to o-open the register..!_ It dawned on her. This was bad. Really, really bad. She panicked- in three seconds she'd probably faint or be struck upside the head for her own stupidity.

She fumbled with a lock on the silvery, boxed object until noticing that the key was missing. _Ino-san must've taken it... _Her eyes evolved into walnut-sized circles; About five seconds had already flown by and, by some miracle, she was still alive. Her uncomfortably expanded eyes glanced up at Sasuke, him showing no real emotion other than a trace of irritation.

"Ano..." She wrung her hands, staring down at her own feet. "I-I-I.. I'm sorry, I uh.."

"Whatever." Sasuke's lips pursed. He decided that he didn't even want the extra pennies he'd get for dawdling like this. Glancing one last time at the nervous girl, he twisted the stemmed object in his chakra-scared hands. His feet ferried him further away until his hand was grasping the door handle, exiting wordlessly.

Hinata gave a relieved sigh.

o0o

This felt so wrong.

It wasn't right- it was just foreign and so weird.

Soft strands of hair brushed against thin, silken fingers. Fumbling nervously with the full clumps in her hands, Hinata struggled to braid Hanabi's brown locks.

She wasn't used to this at all. Usually Hanabi would crindge at the idea, but this time she practically had to beg Hinata to do it the second her older sister came walking in the door with an odd look on her face. She didn't think that working at a flower shop would be so tiring, but didn't really care enough to ask Hinata about it.

"Hey," The youngest blinked with white eyes. "Let me see."

Hinata was deprived of the ability to speak. A white scrunchy resting between her lips, she couldn't talk without the thing falling out. "Hinata!" Hanabi demanded, shifting in her place against the tatami mats.

The white object fell from Hinata's mouth as soon as it cracked open "Ah..! Hanabi, I can't braid your hair if you keep squirming..."

Hanabi's lips twisted into a morbid grimace. Her shoulders squared, and she tried to relax, but it was nearly impossible. She's never had such a thing done to her hair, and it was exciting.

Blinking as her older sister continued to twist the divided threads of brown, Hanabi's inactive Byakugan traced the ceiling. She bit the tip of her tongue gently, in thought. "I know something you don't know."

Hinata paused. "Eh?"

"But I won't tell you."

_Blink._

"Then why did you tell me in the first place?" Nervousness picked at Hinata's gut. She didn't like it when her sister would put her through such anxiety- probably for her own sick amusement.

Hanabi sighed and folded her legs sloppily. She placed two flat palms against her knees and huffed out her chest in a not-so intimidating fashion, making Hinata twitch with curiosity. "Father has something to say to you."

Hinata twisted a puffy white object around the end of Hanabi's braid. "Did I.. um.. do something to upset him?"

Suddenly glowing, the younger sister shot up and twirled around once, admiring the twisty tail trailing behind her. She placed both hands against the back of her head and felt down, the sensation of thick patterns in her hair feeling strange and new. "How do I look?" Her eyes fixated to her sister.

"Hanabi..!"

"Oh, right, sorry." Hanabi placed a hand on her hip, "You're gonna have to find out for yourself."

o0o

Rapidly blinking eyes.

His stern glare and strict breathing was the only thing her human senses could pick up. His Byakugan seemed to study her without permission, not that he needed permission. He could do whatever he wanted to her, say whatever he wanted and she could do nothing about it.

It reminded her of the time when he practically told Kurenai that she was useless.

Her fingers curled near her knees, where she sat against the floor. Biting her bottom lip, her eyes swiveled in every direction that led to a separate path from Hiashi's stare. He was towering over her as always and it was terrifying.

He nearly sighed. Obviously she was assuming that he was extremely angry with her, even if that wasn't the case. Thinking back on it, he knew it couldn't be expected of her to think otherwise. He always treated her like a waste.

His expression grudgingly softened, and he summoned enough strength to not pierce her repetitively with his harsh eyes. "Hinata." He began, strict- though she could sense an odd plea looming in his throat.

"Y-yes?"

"It would be unfortunate for another incident like that to happen again." He stated matter-of-factly, studying her further.

Hinata nodded silently, aware of the 'incident' that he spoke of. The event that nearly took her life- as well as his, if not for Hizashi.

"You're aware of this, I'm sure." Hizashi blinked; Hinata nodded. "That is why I will not allow you to meander defenseless to that shop any longer."

Thunderstruck, the short-haired Genin's eyes popped wide open and she stared dumbfounded at her father's still shoes. "B-bu-.."

"Your cousin, Neji will be given the task of escorting you to and from Yamanaka's shop from now on. Understand?"

Wait, what? His words smacked her upside the head and caused the contents of her mind to rattle against each other. Why was he so concerned about this now? Of course she could handle herself, she didn't die during the Chunnin exams, wasn't that good enough?

"Okay..." Hinata nearly grimaced, a lethal amount of reluctancey poisoning her tongue.

* * *

Is "reluctancey" a word? Spellchecker says no.

I'm terrible at Hiashi. I hate serious guys who have good grammar, cause I can never portray them properly. Itachi is difficult like that, too. He uses a lot of clever analogies.

And I hope this doesn't have too many typos or mistakes. I only went over it once before submitting it.


	2. Storm

Thanks for the reviews, everyone. I didn't think I'd even get any. Believe me, it can really help when I'm in a "I-don't-feel-like-writing" slump.

**Withered**

**Chapter Two: Storm**

* * *

Panting, a brisk wind blew back thick, raven locks. His hair was sticking messily to his cheeks, bathed in hard-earned perspiration.

Sharingan twirling, then darkening into onyx orbs, Sasuke fixated his bloody stare onto his masterpiece- a giant crater the size of Road Island that was gouged into the cliff.

His fists clinched.

He could do better.

He _knew_ he could do better.

Lightning crackling, he charged towards the rock wall blindly.

o0o

Konoha-style sandals were sweeping the street. Crushing leaves and making low clacking sounds against the pavement, falling into unison with the sheepish noises fuming behind them.

"Hinata-sama, don't fall behind."

"S-sorry."

The Hyuuga heiress and lesser branch member were nearing Yamanaka's shop. Subsequently, it had been a rough morning. Hanabi woke her elder sister up two hours early and forced Hinata to re-tie her braids. While Neji seemed unusually patient, she was surprised since this whole 'escorting' duty was eating up his morning. He could have been training, but Hiashi decided it would be healthy to impose another choir upon him.

_I'm glad he's not upset..._

As Hinata could see the sign for Ino's store approaching, a sense of despair flushed out her gut. She really didn't want to go there today; she missed the sound of Akamaru's bark and Kiba's haughty attitude.

Not to mention it was cloudy and the air was coated with the thick scent of rain. It just didn't make for a very good day...

Hinata sighed and caught up to her cousin. Face flushed, she glanced at Neji's Byakugan and continued at a slow pace. He seemed to be walking slower now.

Despite the bad weather, everything was still flowing in ritual. A boy with a scarf and goggles rushing to school, two sluggish children following him. A woman held her son's hand as she fiddled with an umbrella, nothing seemed out of pitch.

They continued silently over the streets. Pollen infesting the air, and rain drops beginning to dot their cheeks. With the absence of anything to shield them from the rain, Neji sped up, signifying to Hinata that she should do the same.

Once they had both reached the safety of the shop, Neji reminded Hinata that he would be back later to pick her up. He exited wordlessly, unconcerned with the rain anymore.

Hinata sighed, breathing in. She took a moment to recognize her surroundings; the same door, the same sign, the same everything.

Everything seemed the same, until a tiny piece of paper caught her eye.

She corked up, fixated to the note and reached sheepishly for it. It was pink, taped to the glass door. Tiny black scribbles in Ino's recognizably girlish handwriting spun over it.

A pause.

_"Hinata, I'm sorry but I can't come to the shop today, something important came up but I'll be back tomorrow. Please look after things while I'm gone."_

Hinata gulped after reading it, just what she didn't want to hear.

Her mind began to boggle. As the sound of chiming bells rang upon her ears, she closed the shop's door and bravely entered. Lips trembling, she felt like sinking into the floor.

_What was Ino-san.. thinking?!_

She looked around the store. Several plants needed to be watered, the floor needed a good sweeping and her apron was laying in a dirty puddle. She sighed desperately- overwhelmed.

Taking a broom from the utility closet, Hinata gripped it's wooden handle uneasily and began to clean the floor. She just hoped with her every ounce that the shop's bell wouldn't chime.

Thankfully, it didn't.

After the meager choir of brushing up dirt was accomplished, Hinata glanced up at the clock and noted how pathetic she was, seeing as it took her ten minutes to finish just that.

She wondered why Ino trusted her with this store so much. It meant everything to her, didn't it? This little forestry shop was Ino's biggest love next to Sasuke and if she were to lose it, she might as well lay down and die.

Hinata frowned. She couldn't even quit now, because it seemed like Ino was going through a hard time and needed her help.

As she was careful not to brush against the roses, Hinata's mind ventured absently. She began to picture herself working in this same exact place as an old woman, 50 years from now.

The thought alone was enough to make her lips quiver.

Disrupting her streaming thoughts, the bell chimed, startling her. Hinata corked her head suddenly, nervously and found two heads bobbing in the open door. They were being obscured by the flowers in front of her.

"Let.." Panting. "Let go."

The rain behind them was pouring viciously.

"N-no way," one grinned, "C'mon, Sasuke, you can stand!"

Lightning flashed, a shock-wave.

Followed by two thuds rattling against the floor.

The only thing Hinata could hear was rain streaking through the sky. Not even their heavy, thick breathing echoed in her ears, not even her uneven footsteps that nearly slipped against the floor.

"N-Naruto-kun?!"

o0o

Splatters against the roof, popping sounds and something warm wrapped around him.

It felt like a shy flame was burning near his skin. Heated, melting the water that clung to him. A soft object kissing his arms, water dripped in tiny droplets from the tips of his bangs onto a soft, yellow sheet.

"Guh..."

Sasuke's eyes cracked open into slits. Black peaking through, he tried to shift but halted abruptly and hissed in pain. Something was pinging in his back and forbid him from moving.

Stuttering, his eyes opened further to examine his surroundings. A flower pot, a petal was touching his ankle...

Now he remembered.

His dark eyes swiveled sideways and fell upon a snoring Naruto laid up in the corner. He also had a blanket wrapped around him, only his was blue and adorn with little yellow frogs.

Sasuke pealed off the thin lining like a second suit of skin and stood to groggy feet, pains eating at his spine. He clutched the space on the side of his back that Naruto had nailed earlier, making a note to never underestimate him again. Dried blood clung to his hand, and the taste of deep sleep thickened his throat, it was one of the most unpleasant things he'd felt all week.

He was about to kick Naruto, oh God how he wanted to smack that idiot for doing this to him, but stopped when his Sharingan caught another target in his field of vision.

Hinata gasped. She was surprised that he'd already woken up, "Y-you're awake."

Sasuke watched her as she fumbled with the register, stabbing it shakily with a tarnished key and trying as hard as Jashin would allow to open the damn thing.

"Did you do this?" He tried not to seem annoyed.

"..Um, y-yes."

The two pearls glued into Hinata's eye sockets never left the counter. She watched absently as a ladybug crawled over a small bundle of dark colored, ebony petals, trying not to come into eye contact with Sasuke. She just knew his glare would pierce her if she touched it.

Sasuke sighed silently and traced his teeth with his tongue, mouth shut tightly. The sleep slime in his mouth was really disgusting, almost as nasty as that dango Itachi loved so much. He nearly squirmed, and fixated on the fretting girl feet away from him.

Eyes met.

Surprisingly, they didn't cut her up like she speculated.

They were deep, black,.. they looked so sad.

Nervous, she glanced away and decided to look at his limbs instead. Byakugan widening- his hands were so calloused. It looked as if he had packed ten months of training into just several hours.

She wondered why someone would do something like that- what would possess him to do that to his body.

"Hey."

_Eep!_

He was suddenly much closer, staring down at her. The small counter being the only thing separating them, his eyes were still gently glazed and still hold reminiscent of ancient tears that had long since dried up.

A small flame of pity egnighted inside of her.

But her expression never changed. "Ah.. hello..."

Sasuke bit the inside of his cheek and let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding. Glancing out to the window, he grimaced upon seeing the pouring rain. _Damnit, they're probably gone now._

Silence.

Naruto's snoring continued, and the rain never ceased.

Hinata's lips curled together in a timid, anxious manner. She didn't like the silence at all, it reminded her of how everyone at home would treat her; barely grant her a second glance.

She was about to go back to watering the posies when Sasuke stopped her with his voice. Turning back, her eyes caught his, and she stared blankly at him as if waiting for words.

Another dead flower squeezed breathlessly between his calloused fingers- this time it was a helpless lily. He lifted it up just enough for her to get an idea of why it was even there.

"O-oh.." She realized, feeling dumb. "You can keep it.. I owe you change, anyway..." Meek as usual.

Sasuke's shoulders slumped, the perfect lily falling to his waist. He took one last breath, exhaled and blankly walked over to Naruto with a pain shooting through his back. Barely wintching, he'd never let the pain become apparent. Not now, not ever- he'd spent too much time, too much effort on the facade to give up now and throw his demeanour away in front of a stranger no less.

"Get up, loser." He smacked Naruto's puffy yellow head.

Jolting, mouthing-off and sputtering incoherently, all Hinata could hear was Naruto's dribble and Sasuke's feet clack against the shop's threasthhold, exiting. She wondered, again, why he'd be purchasing flowers. Maybe for a girlfriend?

Not likely... she thought, lilys weren't the most romantic thing to give to a girl.

"N-Naruto-kun... are you alright?" Sasuke wasn't there now, so it was alright to speak. It was alright to walk around freely without being scared. Sasuke was just so menacing, Hinata could never tell what he was thinking and it frightened her.

No.. more like, perplexed her.

"Oh, didn't see you there, Hinata." Naruto struggled to shed the blanket that was shrouding most of his body.

Hinata frowned, her emotional needle beginning to point south.

Naruto's cheeks were dirty, his hands cut up and his clothes were ripped.

He was still smiling.

His feet being placed firmly to the ground, he dusted himself off and stood tall over the slippry floor. He felt rejuvenated, even if his body ached in places he'd forgotten that he had. After glancing up at a timid little girl who was mumbling, he decided unconsciously that it would be appropriate to say something.

"Man, that Sasuke's a real jerk, you know?" His shoulder flexed. "He really landed some good punches back there."

Although she agreed with the 'Sasuke is a jerk' part, Hinata smiled a small grin and fiddled with her fingers. She loved looking into Naruto's immense eyes. They were like an entire ocean that held thousands of different forms of life. They swam, glistened- she wanted to look at them but couldn't.

Her demenour wouldn't allow it.

"He.. he looked really beat up, too, Naruto-kun..." She fidgeted, recalling the way Sasuke was groaning in pain as he slept unconscious in the shop's corner. "H-he was in.. a lot of pain, so..."

"Hehh, really?" Naruto snickered with pride, ignoring a headache. "Yeah, that's to be expected. I kicked his ass pretty good!"

He made her smile again.

She could do it. She knew she could do it.

Her hands wandered into her pocket, clumsily fumbling with whatever the contents were. She was searching for a very specific item, something she brought with her on the off-chance that she'd end up getting pricked by a rose again.

It turns out that the incident yesterday with that red flower was a luck charm in disguise.

Pulling out a very small, round, wooden case that barely took up a quarter of her palm, Hinata's hands trembled when Naruto looked straight at her, curious. "It's medicine. For your.. wounds."

Naruto eyed the item. It took him a moment to remember, but finally, "Hey! Is that the stuff you had at the elimination rounds of the Chunnin exam?" Approaching her quickly, he didn't even notice the heat fly up into her face. "That stuff is the best medicine I've ever used!"

Now he's done it.

It felt like the roses were now being smashed against her cheeks and their red lipstick left deep, crimson bruises. She didn't trust her voice anymore, she _knew_ she'd stammer or faint.

He was so _close_ to her.

Luckily, Naruto nabbed the tiny container of ointment from her fretting fingers and grinned mischievously as he did so. He popped it open, and traced the brim with his fingers.

"Y-you can.. k-keep it,.. if y-you w-wan--"

"Thanks a bunch, Hinata!" He cut open the air, suddenly near the door. "Sorry, but I got some more training to do. I'm gonna kick Sasuke's ass twice as hard! See ya!"

And then he was gone.

A sigh. Hinata slipped behind the counter and memorized the number of petals that clung to the bottom of her shoe.

The sound of spilling rain drops depressed her. It was melancholic- Naruto was her sunshine but now he was gone and left her alone with just the rain.

She remained in that posture for a while. No freckled apron, no flowers perming her darkly-toned locks. No customers in sight and Ino was gone.

She was alone,

And Neji was late.


	3. Blossom

Just so you guys know, there's a reason Sasuke keeps buying flowers. And I know where the plot is going so don't worry. u 3u;

**Withered**

**Chapter Three:** **Blossom**

* * *

Her thin strands of hair were sparkling. They seemed to multiple by the millions and were cut at the most precise angle- as if a laser had drawn a beam straight through them and cut them perfectly. Her eyelashes were small and soft and caressed her cheeks in the most flirtatious manner, as her murky, clouded eyes shrouded anything inviting enough to reflect into them.

She was beautiful, even for a 12-year-old- she was the essence of innocence and beauty.

A sleeping beauty.

Hinata was sleeping, breathing slowly and peacefully during a long-awaited, morning nap. Probably having rich, blissful dreams of floating butterfly wings bathing her nose and leaving behind pastel clouds of pixie dust.

Her subconscious was sure that this was a dream she would always remember. Life in an illusion was always perfect for her, because there, she had everything that she could ever want.

In her dreams, she wasn't an overly-nervous little mouse.

In her dreams, her mother was always with her.

In her dreams, Neji and her entire family accepted her and loved her for who she was.

And in her dreams, no one around her would suffer...

Not her cousin, not Naruto, not even the strangers she knew nothing about.

If it were up to her, no one would ever feel sorrow.

o0o

His limbs were bare and his hair was unkempt. Dark locks, dirty from sweat covered his face and curled around his cheeks. Sand was hanging in the spikes beyond his blinded eyes

He was sweating, his breathing short and raspy through clinched teeth- even in sleep he would clinch his teeth and frown.

If he didn't believe the story that your face would freeze if you kept it in an expression for too long, he sure as hell believed it now.

Sasuke's dreams were unpleasant, undesirable and painful. They were a broken VCR that ate at the tape of his memories and burned them until they were morphed into even more horrendous handicaps.

That bastard was killing him in his dreams.

That traitor was sending him through the exact same blood-ridden void for months on end.

Red gushed and bathed him, the screams of his mother split open his ears.

Hate.

Hate him.

Live to kill him.

_Watch his life be squeezed away as you strangle him with your bare hands- the hands that endured so much for that moment._

_Watch him bleed to death with the eyes that have witnessed the greatest of life's pains._

He would never have a pleasant dream. His dreams were the same, they would begin with his mother kissing him goodnight and end with her being slit in half, laying motionless on the cold floor.

Dead.

Sasuke's eyes sprung open and he was unable to breath as quickly as his the liquid coursing through his veins demanded.

Alone.

He was heaving, tangled in his sheets and staring out to his sliding-glass door from the spread of his dark sheets. The house was hollow- he knew it.

Hollow because of the bastard Itachi.

His fists balled up into the thin blanket wrapping around his torso, and he begged his body to never lust for sleep again.

Sleep was torture.

o0o

A yawn.

Hinata's eyes were drooping as she skimmed one of the magazines that Ino had left behind. Most of them were beauty tips and how to make stubborn guys notice you. She secretly wondered if any of these things would work on Naruto.

Not that she'd ever try them out...

_When the guy of your dreams just doesn't realize you exist, captivate him! Find out what he likes- does he prefer women with long hair? Does he enjoy the scent of sweet lavender on a girl? If you can intoxicate him with your rich personality and beauty, he'll be yours in no time!_

Hinata blushed and held a curled finger to her cheek. A white, ruffled carnation with coordinated petals clasped in the same hand and she didn't even realize it until the softness of it kissed her cheek.

_Naruto-kun.. maybe he is really like that._ She frowned, remembering another girl with glowing pink locks and an abyss of emerald gems for eyes. Sakura was so rough and brash towards Naruto, Hinata didn't understand why he liked her so much. She was just a beautiful _ogre._

Hinata sighed and glanced down to a thin puddle of water, studying her reflection.

Shallow, expressionless eyes.

Plain, dark hair...

Pale skin.

Nearly every inch of her body covered with modest apparel.

She considered it for a moment, and concluded that a bright person like Naruto would never love a pale stick like her. Of course he'd love Sakura's vibrance...

She sighed and let a small petal from the carnation in her hands fall to the puddle, disturbing it's reflection with quick ripples. Taking a moment to collect herself, she decided to sweep the floor and forget about Naruto- if possible. It would be a good way to test just how obsessed she was.

She really just wished that Neji would come and pick her up early- that she could just _leave_. All the bright flowers today were reminding her of Naruto. The most grueling part was that she realized her cousin might be late again, as he explained last night.

Just as the broom was propped up against the painted wall, the shop's bell chimed and a blond head was bobbing about in the frame. Taken back, Hinata's eyes fixated up, nearly on instinct ready to emit the usual "Welcome..!" but halted when chirping laughs filled the room.

"I swear, you have it so easy!" The taller one exclaimed, gripping the glass door's handle. "At least your teammates aren't lazy and gluttonous!"

"But one is annoying and.." The pink-haired youth paused. "Well, it's not all bad since I have Sasuke-kun." The blond could sense her friend's bragging.

"Ah.. Ino-san..!"

A wave of relief crashed into Hinata. Finally, Ino was back. She was beginning to wonder if Ino had just been dumping the shop on her lately to go have fun with her other friends...

Like Sakura.

There she was- smiling, radiant with pink silk and a bright outfit to compliment it. Hinata suddenly felt so intimidated by the object of Naruto's desire and confident blond that she nearly sank to the wet floor.

"Oh, hi Hinata!" Ino waved to Hinata cheerily, surprised that she hadn't left yet. "Oh, speaking of Sasuke-kun, I heard that he was here last night." Her tone suddenly dangerous and questioning, though it didn't loose the element of a grinning devil.

Sakura made an _'oh really?'_ expression at Hinata.

She stuttered. "O-oh.. y-es, he was.. here..." Hinata felt almost guilty to admit it, remembering the dark-haired boy who seemed to be bearing a lot of anxiety. She recalled his groaning as he fought a cold sweat in his sleep, and his inconsistent breathing.

He was really very frightening, in a strange way that Hinata didn't know what to make of it. "H-him and Naruto-kun... were injured."

Sakura's emerald eyes snapped in sadness. "Sasuke-kun has been hospitalized again..."

Ino pursed her lips and glanced at Sakura as if she were hopeless, strutting over to a stand of sweet-smelling flora. "And what are you worrying about, Sakura? You know as well as I do that my Sasuke-kun will recover in no time!"

"W-what do you mean '_your'_ Sasuke-kun?!"

_Eep._

Sakura stomped over to Ino and glared lightning into her, about to rant about how Sasuke was on her team so, therefor, she would be the one to claim his love, but was stopped when Ino beat her to a sentence.

"I'm going to get some flowers for him!" Ino gushed devilishly, holding a small collection to her nose and breathed in. "He'll definitely love them!"

"H-hey! That was my idea!"

o0o

How did this always happen?

She was struggling to keep up,

Pastel heads bobbed in the distance in front of her.

Her face hidden by clusters of flora.

She sighed. Hinata knew it- everyone knew it- that she was just so weak. She couldn't really protest when Ino and Sakura 'asked' her to come, she couldn't protest when they shoved their bouquets in her arms and she certainly couldn't decline their 'invitation' now.

She could hear their brisk, love-drunk laughter. Gushing and swooning like school girls and chattering some dumb nonsense about that Uchiha. Her feet clipped the pavement, and her gut boiled in a stew of anxiousness once she realized how close the hospital had grown. Stepping sheepishly through the automatic doors, she peaked through the flowers in her arms that blocked her view and sought Ino.

"I-Ino-san.."

"Over here, Hinata! Hurry up!"

A wave hit Hinata and her feet jolted forward before she was mentally prepared. Scurrying to Ino and Sakura's side, she bit the inside of her lip on the way, unable to wriggle her fingers together.

As Sakura and Ino's giggling faded into background noise, Hinata swam in her mind. Over thoughts of worry, her mind nit-picking at every little thing. She was nervous...

She didn't want to see that Uchiha again.

She remembered his eyes, they were downright sad and angry at the same time.

Not red from crying, red from anger.

She remembered, vividly, the deafening mix of thunder softening his erratic cries and groans. The black sags under his eyes were incredible, unlike any insomnia she had ever witnessed. He just looked like a huge train wreck, she knew flowers wouldn't cheer him up.

She suddenly jumped, her foot catching a randomly strewn cord that belonged to some life-support system.

_I-I need to be more careful._ She scolded herself, avoiding Sakura and Ino's concerned, slurred questions that she forgot to hear.

Another ten seconds of walking with hypnotic pollen filling her nose made her nod off into her own head again.

_...Flowers will only irritate him._ Hinata grew nervous. He had bought flowers, sure, but not for himself. They couldn't have possibly have been for himself...

She was still confused about that, while skipping over a threshold.

Why- why did he even bother buying them?!

She turned, following cream and strawberry locks. A hitch, and she was facing the wrong way, oblivious to the world. Sideways-

Her ivory Byakugan kissed a coal mine.

And her eyes caught sight of grimacing lips.

Pause.

"Sasuke-kun!"

She nearly dropped the flowers, realizing who's eyes had just stole hers and who's voice had just broke her eardrum. Hinata quickly placed the cluster of petals and stems on Sasuke's nightstand, bowed politely at his rudeness and attempted to make a dash for the door.

She was halted, however, when a thin arm extended in her direct path.

She looked upwards to Ino, "I-Ino-sa-"

"Enough with the 'san'! We're bessst friends now," Ino placed an arm around Hinata's shoulder, "And that means you follow me to the ends of the Earth!"

_Gulp._

Hinata's tongue grew suddenly dry and her lips sewn tightly. She couldn't reply,

_I-I need to go.._

"Sasuke-kun, are you alright?" Gems sparkled down at him, while he shot her in the heart with a cold, glaring arrow.

He didn't care.

The room fell silent.

His window was open. The sky was pink now and orange began to consume it- it was _thick_ like his curtains but weightless and still fluttered.

He looked dirty...

After a few hopeless minutes of pretending to not exist while listening to Ino and Sakura ramble about how cute and what a poor boy Sasuke was, Hinata's feet began to unconsciously slide towards the door. She did not want to be there- it was so horrible. It was like he was slicing her open with his dark eyes.

"Jeez, just sit still." Ino barked, pushing Hinata into the chair right next to the boy's bed.

The Hyuuga jumped and then sat meekly. Her doll-like face was fixated on her feet, and she felt anxiety pinning her eyebrows down. Sakura and Ino were babbling on and on about nonsense, and eventually Hinata was able to drown the noise out just as Sasuke. She considered it for a short second.. that he must now be a pro at ignoring girls and their flirtatiousness.

"So, yeah, I got Hinata to work at the flowershop for a while." Ino interjected, causing Hinata to become alert at the mention of her name.

Sasuke looked at Hinata. His black eyes were the very opposite of hers.. menacing; while hers were a sweet, modest shade of ivory. A warm breath escaped her lips; and for a few seconds, Sasuke was fixated on her with a somewhat questioning stare.

She jumped- what was he doing? A few strands of raven hair fell to his face as he tilted his head at her, then looking back to the window.

She must've blinked fifty times; her heart was thumping and her breathing was hard. She hated being stared at- his glare, to her, was frightening. Hinata bit her lip; she could still somewhat hear her fellow Kunoichi chatting in the back of her head. Her ears were picking it up, but her brain didn't want to process any more of it. After a short, nervous moment, she shot up in her seat and bowed her head shyly.

"Ano.. excuse me, but I need to leave. Neji-niisan was not even aware that I would be coming here.. so..." She was holding her hands politely in front of her.

Hinata bowed, then began to exit but Ino interupted again. "Wait! We should all go get something to eat. Hinata, don't you want to come with?"

Hinata shook, but kept composure. "Um, n-no thank you. I have to go find Neji-niisan." She said, sternly. She knew that she had to go- Neji was probably already looking for her. "Goodbye, Ino-san, Sakura-san,..." She glanced up towards the Uchiha, hesitating. "..Sasuke-kun." then left.

She successfully made her way through the hospital without disconnecting anyone's life support system or tripping into a cart of syringes. As the automatic doors released her from the terrifying mouth of the hospital, she stepped out eagerly and took in one breath of fresh air.

"Sasuke-kun.." she quoted her last spoken words, shivering at the thought. She really never wanted to see him again...

"Hinata-sama!"

"Ah-?"

Her silence was shattered in one short moment. A voice bellowed from a short distance away, and soon she could hear fast footwork clattering against the pavement.

She looked up. "Neji-Niisan!"

Finally a familiar, almost comforting sight. Anyone besides Sasuke would be good at this point.

"Why are you here?" Neji attempted to conceal the worry in his voice. "I specifically instructed that you never leave Yamanaka-san's shop without an escourt..." He stepped up closer to his sibling, looking down at her with his big, white eyes. Hinata could see the veins disappearing- apparently he'd been using the Byakugan to find her. That would explain how he just appeared out of the blue.

"A-ano.. I'm so sorry, niisan. Ino-san needed my help with something.. s-so.. I wasn't alone." Hinata quivered, trying to explain.

"Yamanaka made you come here?" He wasn't pleased.

Hinata knew covering for Ino wouldn't work. Neji would be able to see right through her lies. She sighed and hung her head, letting her fingers fumble against each other's smooth surface. Sun-bleached concrete stood under her feet, and for a minute, she felt as if she were standing in front of her father.

"Please forgive me." She said sadly.

Neji just sighed and took her hand to return home.

* * *

Sorry for the mega-late update. It's been a year, I think? I had a lot of family problems. I'm sorry for disappointing you all. Hopefully I still have some willing readers. Thanks again.

-Alissah :)


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